Bee City USA

Bee City USA October 13, 2021 Via Teleconferencing through Zoom 7:00pm Term Exp. Members Present Absent Staff Brenda Alexander X 6/30/2023 Craig Beatty X 6/30/2023 Maria Ulloa-Bustos X 6/30/2022 Anahi Espindola X 6/30/2022 Ariela Haber X 6/30/2024 Alan Hew, Chair X 6/30/2024 Ordom (Brian) Huot X 6/30/2024 Marc Pound X 6/30/2023 Jim Sauer X Also present: Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary The meeting was called to order by Alan Hew, Chair, at 7:01pm. 1. The agenda was reviewed. Mr. Hew motioned to accept the agenda and Mr. Beatty seconded. Motion carries for approval 6-0-0. 2. The September 8, 2021, minutes were reviewed. Mr. Hew motioned to accept the minutes and Mr. Pound seconded. Motion carries for approval 6-0-0. 3. City Report. a. Ms. Alexander ordered the seeds for the pollinator garden on Cherokee Street. The request was submitted to include this project for Good Neighbor Day, which will be on November 13. You need to sign up for volunteering for specific projects: oce.umd.edu/good-neighbor-day. The committee would like to have a sign for the pollinator garden; Ms. Alexander stated she would research and send the committee her findings. b. DPW has clean up Saturdays scheduled for October 16 and October 23. Compost is also available. c. No one has claimed the Bee Hotels from Pollinator Week. Ms. Alexander made a suggestion to place them around the city. Suggestions made by the committee were a) Cherokee Street and b) Trolley Trail – one on the north side and one on the south side; further discussion will take place on locations at the February 2022 meeting. The hotels will be kept in Ms. Alexander’s office until spring. 4. No Mow Month. This is on the Mayor and City Council work session for November 2. Mr. Hew and Ms. Espindola, from the committee, will be present along with Ms. Alexander. A short PowerPoint presentation will be created to share with Mayor and Council. 5. Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. The pledge was proclaimed on September 28, 2021, by the Mayor. Ms. Alexander will share a final copy of the proclamation with the committee.  6. The milkweed packets were distributed to eight little libraries. Mr. Huot took pictures and shared with the committee. He stated that the little library at the Trolley Trail was very popular. Mr. Huot also stated that he has about 2000 common milkweed seeds and would be happy to distribute those also. Ms. DeWalt will create new labels for the envelopes upon receiving the correct name for them. 7. Reviewed Native Plant list. Ms. Alexander suggested it would be helpful to have the list print on 8½ x 11 paper and remove any Covid information that may no longer be relevant. Ms. DeWalt volunteered to alter the list. 8. Committee discussed different ways to create an IPM plan – whether it should be a plan or policy. Mr. Hew has information on IPM plans that he will share with the committee. This will be further discussed at the November meeting. 9. Discussed funding for more GAT traps for mosquito prevention. Ms. Haber, Mr. Pound and Mr. Hew will work on a proposal for the committee to review to ask Mayor and City Council to subsidize GAT traps for residential purchase. 10. There is a Bee City USA Training session scheduled at the end of September and end of October. 11. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at 7:00pm. Mr. Hew made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Beatty seconded. Motion carries 6-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.